I am vacationing in Paris this winter. What should I wear (or not wear) to fit in with the fashionable Parisiennes?

The answer

Let’s begin with what not to wear: roomy jeans and well-worn gym shoes (not the same as stylish sneakers, which are known as les baskets ). Also avoid backpacks with Canadian-flag patches; sure, they help differentiate you from les américains, but they also peg you as a tourist.

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Surprisingly, Parisians love down jackets, a.k.a. les doudounes, and Canada Goose is nearly as ubiquitous as the luxe brand Moncler.

Just remember, you’re on rue Saint-Honoré, not in the Yukon. Wear yours over a little black day dress and opaque black tights, or slim dark jeans and a tunic sweater. An oversized scarf and boots – motorcycle-inspired or ones with a chunky heel for some height – are the final touches. Remember, turning heads is less about a look than it is about an attitude. And, frankly, most Parisian women seem to be born with that.

Amy Verner is The Globe and Mail’s Paris-based style reporter. Have a fashion question? E-mail style@globeandmail.com.